Apparatus for packaging with hinged plate for forming flat bottom package



Dec. E, 1970 w. c. LEASURE APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING WITH HINGED PLATE FORFORMING FLAT BOTTOM PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 19, 1967 QQK IINVENTOR WILLIAM C. LEASURE ATTORNEYS w. c. LEASURE 3,543,477 APPARATUSFOR PACKAGING WITH HINGED PLATE FOR FORMING FLAT BOTTOM PACKAGE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 19, 1967 INVENTOR WILLIAM C. LEASUREATTORNEYS? nited States 3,543,477 APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING WITH HIN GEDPLATE FOR FORMING FLAT BOTTOM PACKAGE William C. Leasure, Houston, Tex.,assignor to Mira-Pak, Inc., Houston, Tex. Filed Dec. 19, 1967, Ser. No.691,869 Int. Cl. B65b 51/30 US. Cl. 53-180 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE BACKGROUNDFIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates topackaging and more particularly to a method and apparatus for forming aflat bottom package on a form, fill and seal type packaging machinehaving a former which reciprocates with respect to stationary sealingjaws to draw film over the former.

BACKGROUNDDESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART In my prior Pat. 2,969,627 thereis described a method and apparatus for packaging wherein the formerwhich shapes the strip packaging film into tubular form reciprocateswith respect to scaling jaws which move into and out of engagement withthe packaging film in a horizontal plane. When the sealing jaws moveinto engagement with the film to form a package end seal the former ismoved away from the jaws to draw additional film over the former. Thesealing jaws are released and the former is moved towards the jaws topass the film between the jaws. The jaws are then brought together toform the other package end seal.

A package formed as above described is a pillow type package which hasthe disadvantage of not being able to stand upright. Thus in the priorart there has been a need for a method and apparatus for forming a flatbottom bag on form, fill and seal packaging machinery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The purpose of the present invention is toprovide a packaging method and apparatus for a form, fill and sealpackaging machine using a movable former as shown in Pat. No. 2,969,627including an actuating plate located within a tubular length ofpackaging material for form ing a fiat bottom package.

A main feature of the present invention includes the use of an actuatingplate to form a flat bottom package. For this purpose an actuating plateis located within the tubular length of material, held by support meansextending from above, and is movable about a pivot axis between a raisedposition whereat it extends horizontally and engages the tubular lengthof material in a transverse plane and a lowered position whereat itextends vertically, generally perpendicular to said transverse plane.

In forming a flat bottom package according to the present invention thepackaging film is formed into a tube by passing the film over a formerand sealing the longitudinal edges of the film together. The transverseseal is formed across the tubular shaped film by the sealing jaws in theconventional manner. The former moves upwardly as disclosed in my priorPat. No. 2,969,627 and, since the stationary sealing jaws are grippingthe packaging film, additional film is drawn over the former to formfurther tubular lengths of film. The jaws are then separated and theactuating plate is moved from its vertical to its horizontal position.The former continues to move the tubular length of material upwardlyuntil the bottom of the tubular length at the transverse seal engagesthe actuating plate. The eifect of this movement will be to cause aflattening of the closed end of the tubular length. To complete theformation of the fiat bottom it may be desirable to fold the lowertransverse seal upwardly against the fiat bottom of the package. Forthis purpose the present invention includes a suitable means such as aninterior actuating plate. The package may be filled upon completion ofthe formation of the flat bottom for the package.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new method and apparatusfor forming a fiat bottom package on form, fill and seal packagingmachinery.

It is another object of this invention to provide a packaging method andapparatus of the type wherein a continuous web of material is formedinto a tubular length of material employing a movable former with anactuating plate for assisting in the formation of a flat 'bottompackage.

Other objects and the attendant advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the detailed description to follow together withthe accompanying drawlngs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS There follows a detailed descriptionof the preferred embodiment of the present invention together withaccompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that theinvention is capable of numerous modifications and variations apparentto those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit andscopeof the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 inclusive, are diagrammatic drawingsshowing the sequence of operation of the present invention in connectionwith the packaging of a product.

FIGS; 3A and 4A are enlarged views of portions of FIGS. 3 and 4,respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the accompanyingdrawings like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout.

Referring to FIG. 1, a continuous web of material 11 is fed from asupply roll 10 over rollers 12, 13, and 14 and over roller 15 which isconnected to a former 16 for movement therewith. The former 16 thenforms the continuous web of material 11 into a tubular length ofmaterial 18, the opposing edges of the web being connected together by alongitudinal sealing means 17. The roller 15, the former 16 and thelongitudinal sealing means 17 are reciprocated vertically by theapparatus shown in the leasure Pat. No. 2,969,627. Also, the former 16may be of the type shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 of the said Leasure patent.A pair of sealing jaws 22a and 22b are provided for forming a transverseseal across the tubular lengths 18.

These sealing jaws further include cooperating knife and slot means 23aand 23b for severing a completed package after its top seal has beenformed. The sealing jaws may also include stripper plates as shown inthe Leasure Pat. No. 3,027,695.

At the lower end of the apparatus there is provided an exterior platen30 including a connecting rod 31 rigidly connected thereto, thecombination of platen 30 and connecting rod 31 being mounted for pivotalmovement about a stationary pivot axis 32. Connecting rod 31 is in turnpivotally connected to a piston rod 33 which is in turn connected to adouble acting piston in the cylinder 34. Thus, by moving the piston tothe right or the left, the platen can be raised or lowered,respectively.

The apparatus further includes an actuating plate supported by meansextending through the former and into the tubular length 18 for movementbetween a lowered position as shown in FIG. 3A and a raised position asshown in FIG. 4A. A hollow member extends downwardly through the formerand includes an actuating rod 41 extending from its forward end down toa cam member 42 having a lower guide surface 43. The hollow member formsa back plate for the longitudinal seam sealer 17. When the cam 42 is inthe raised position, its lower cam surface 43 permits the actuatingplate 44 to fall under its own weight to the lowered position about apivot axis 44'. When the cam 42 is lowered, the guide surface 43 causesthe actuating plate 44 to pivot in a clockwise direction about its axis44' to the raised position shown in FIG. 4A. In the raised position theactuating plate is supported by a rigid plate 48 and a roller 49.

The cam 42 is operated through actuating rod 41 by a double actingpiston and cylinder 47 which is connected to rod 41 through a piston rod46 and a connecting rod 45.

The operation of the invention is as follows. Packaging film is passedover the former 16 so as to shape the film into tubular form and thesealer 17 seals the longitudinal edges of the film together. In FIG. 1the sealing jaws 22a and 2212 form a transverse seal which willconstitute the top of package A and the bottom of package B. In FIG. 2,while sealing jaws are still in engagement with the tubular length 18,the former 16 is moved upwardly to provide an additional length oftubular material which will subsequently form package C. Between FIGS. 3and 4 the double acting piston and cylinder 47 is operated to move thecam 42 downwardly thereby raising the actuating plate 44. Also betweenFIGS. 3 and 4 the former has been moved upwardly an additional length sothat the lower end of package B engages the actuating plate 44. Thisaction will tend to flatten the bottom of package B. It ma be desirableto fold the lower transverse seal against the flat bottom of package B.For this purpose a suitable adhesive may be applied by nozzle 50 to thetransverse seal after which the piston in cylinder 34 is moved to theright to raise exterior platen 30 thereby pressing the lower end ofpackage B against the actuating plate 44 as shown in FIG. 5. After thebottom of package B has been. completely formed, the platen 30 islowered. The former then commences its downward movement and, sinceactuating rod 41 has been raised, the actuating plate 44 is free to moveto a vertical position. Just prior to this time product may beintroduced through the upper end of the former and tubular formedpackaging film. The former 16 then continues to move the tubular lengthof material downwardly to place the length of material constitutingpackage B to a point below the sealing jaws 22a and 22b. 'Ihe 'formermay move downwardly a distance greater than one package length to permita stripping operation as described in my prior Pat. 3,027,695. Thesealing jaws are then operated to close the package B and form thebottom of package C thereby attaining the position of FIG. 1 after whichthe cycle is repeated.

The method and apparatus of the present invention may be employed in theproduction of either a pillow type flat bottom package or a gussettedtype flat bottom package. In the production of a pillow type flatbottom-package the two ends of the lower seal would project laterally.Suitable means (not shown) may be employed for folding these ends up toand attaching them against the sides of the formed package.Alternatively, means (not shown) my be employed for folding these endsunder the package before the package engages the flat surface of platen30.

To form a gussetted type flat bottom package suitable means would beemployed for folding the opposing portions of the package to begussetted inwardly. The sealing jaws 22a and 22b would then form thetransverse seal between the packages and thus permanently form thegussets in the transverse seals.

As illustrated, the longitudinal seal would be located on the front orback of the package. However, it is pos sible to rotate the gussettingmeans and the transverse sealing jaws in a horizontal plane relative tothe former so that the longitudinal seal would be located on the side ofthe package and formed into one of the gussets. One advantage of thiswould be to leave the front and back of the package free for advertisingmaterial.

Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have beenillustrated and described in consideral detail, it should be understoodthat the invention is capable of numerous modifications and variationsapparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A packaging apparatus including a former means for forming a web ofsheet material into a length of tubular material and sealing means forforming package closing end seals across the tubular length of material,the improvement comprising a flattening means for flattening the end ofthe tubular length of material remote from the former means including anactuating plate mounted inside of the tubular length of material betweenthe former and the remote end of the tubular length of material, andsaid actuating plate being movable between an operative position atwhich it extends across the interior of the tubular length of materialand an inoperative position whereat it extends generally longitudinallyof the tubular length of material to permit product to pass thereby tothe remote end of the tubular length of material, and wherein saidformer means is movable for moving said remote end of the tubular lengthof material against said actuating plate to form said flat bottom on thetubular length of material.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tubular length of materialextends vertically and wherein the operative position is a raisedposition whereas the plate extends in a plane traverse to the axis ofthe tubular length of material, and the inoperative position is alowered position whereat the plate extends vertically generally parallelto said axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 including a cam member having a cam surfaceengaging the actuating plate, and actuating means for moving the saidcam to move the actuating plate between said raised and loweredpositions.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 including a rod connected to the cam andextending through the former, and wherein the actuating means comprisesa double acting piston operatively connected to said rod.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said actuating plate is mounted forpivotal movement between said raised and lowered positions, andincluding a cam member operatively engaging the actuating plate forpivoting it about the axis of pivotal movement.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 including an exterior platen having a flatsurface movable into the path of movement of the remote end when theactuating plate is in the raised position and engages the said remoteend.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the said sealing means are preventedfrom moving in the direction of movement of the former.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,263,391 8/1966 Wallsten 5328TH'ERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner E. F. DESMOND, Assistant Examiner

